Automatic starting device for boiler feed-pumps.



W. KIESER.

AUTOMATIC STARTING DEVICE FOR BOILER FEED PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1914.

1,170,163 Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

I I Inventor; v Walter- Kisser:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER KIESER, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ATITOMATIC STARTING DEVICE FOR BOILER FEED-PUIVIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application filed June 19, 19l4. Serial No. 846,146.

T 0 all whom it ma 1 concern:

Charlottenlmrg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Starting Devices for Boiler Feed-Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding water to steam boilers.

It is well known that it is an advantage to furnish to-snch boilers water that is as hot as possible, and many feed water heaters are in use. It is always difficult, however, to feed hot water by means of pumps, owing to the impairment'of the suction capacity of the 'pumps, due to the readiness with which the hot water gives otl vapor and thus reduces the vacuum produced by the pump. This fact is especially troublesome in the case of centrifugal pumps, and renders it ditiicult to start such machines.

The object of the present invention is toovercome the difiicultiesinherent in starting a centrifugal feed pump and :ltthe same time provide for heating the feed water.

It comprises hrietlyan improved arrangement wherein the exhaust steam from the engine which drives the pump is discharged through a suitahlenozzle into that portion of the suction pipe which dips into the water tank, the jet of steam being in the direction in which the column of water flows through said pipe to the pump. The steam imparts velocity to the water and at the same time is condensed and imparts its heat to the water, so that the de 'ice serves not only as a starting means but also as a feed water heater and condenser.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying specification and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a boiler feed system embodying my invention, and F g. 2 shows a modification of a portion of the system.

The pump l'is of the centrifugal type and takes water from the tank 2, delivering it through the pump suction pipe 3 and de livery pipe 4 to a boiler (not shown): The delivery pipe is preferably provided with a check valve 5 to prevent return of the water from the boiler. In the lower part of the suction pipe where it is submerged in the water in the tank, there is a nozzle 6 located. preferably in an enlarged portion of the suction pipe which has. a tapering throat 7 communicating with the upper portion of said pipe. The nozzle is connected bymeans of the pipe 8 with the exhaust of the engine 9 which drives the pump. The engine shown is a turbine, direct connected to the pump; but any desired type of engine may be used, connected to the pump in any suitable manner. The nozzle discharges the exhanst steam through the tapering throat 7 intothe upper portion of the suction pipe,

in the same direction as the column of water flowing through said pipe to the pump.

Before the pump is set in operation, the

water stands at the same level both inside and outside the suction pipe.

said water is raised in temperature by the.

heat it absorbs from the steam. This 'opa crates to relieve the engine to a certain extent'of the back pressure of the exhaust.

When steam is turned .into the engine it exhausts through; the nozzle and forces the water above it up The continuous discharge. of the steam into 7 the suction pipe prevents the 'column' of water in the suction pipe from breaking,

in case the speedof the pump fluctuates.

The effect of the steam at the start is necessarily greater in proportion to the height of the column of water above the nozzle, and in order to der1ve as much advantage along this lineas poss1ble,-the nozthe water in the zle may be placed at the lower end of the suction pipe. Fig. 2 shows one way of doing this; the nozzle being placed in a chamber formed by the casting 10, which has inlet ports 11 in its bottom, and is provided with a converging thrhat' at its upper end to coiiperate' with the nozzle in effecting the ejector action of the steam upon the water. This construction lends itself to the employment of a check valve to prevent the return to the tank of. the water in the suction pipe when the pump ceases to operate. The valve may be an annular member 12 surrounding the nozzle and sliding vertically thereon; opening upwardly to admit the water, and shutting by gravity when the flow stops. In Fig. i, the check valve is shown preferably as a flap valve 13 controlling the inlet to the casting 14 in wbich the nozzle is preferably housed.

In case the pressure in the suction pipe becomes unduly great, owing to a sudden drop in the load or other cause, which causes a rush of steam into said pipe, the excess of pressure can be relieved by means of a safety valve 15 in the exhaust pipe, through which the extra steam will be blown oil". ()r, in order to avoid the waste of heat arising from blowing oil the steam, the excess of pressure in the suction pipe can be relieved by an overflow or relief valve 16 located between the nozzle and the check valve 5,

. and conducting the hot Water back to the tank, or elsewhere; In this way the steam will always be utilized. In case both. of these safety devices we used in the same system. the relief valve can be arranged to open first, and the safety valve only when a considerably higher pressure" has been reached; thereby saviug the heat of the exhaust steam except at peaks of pressure.

it may sometimes happen that the consing of the steam in the exhaust pipe, the engine has been stopped, will cause ank to rise in said pipe and possibly flood the engine. In order to avoid this, a check valve 17 may be installed in the exhaust pipe; or said pipe may be carried upward from the engine in a loop 18 which is at such a height above the water in the tank as to prevent the atmospheric pressure thereon from forcing it up to the loop. With this arrangement the pump, suction pipe and exhaust pipe are always full of Water, as soon as the pump is once running. The pump will therefore act as soon as the steam enters the pipe.

' Inaccordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. The combination with a boiler feed pump, of an automatic starting device comprising a suction pipe for said pump, a tank into which said pipe dips, and a steam ejector arranged in said pipe below the level of the water in said tank.

2. Thecombination with a boiler feed pump, of an engine for driving the same, and an automatic starting device for said pump comprising a suction'pipe, a tank into which said pipe dips, and an ejector ar-' ranged in said pipe below the level of the water in said tank and connectedwith the exhaust pipe of said engine.

3. The combination with a boiler feed pump driven by an engine, of a suction pipe from said pump, and an ejectorconnected with the exhaust pipof said engine and arranged at the lowerend of said suction pipe.

4. The combination with a boiler feed.

pump driven by a'nengine and having suction and delivery pipes, of a tank into which the suction pipe dips, an ejector in said suction pipe located below the level of the water in theftankand connected with the exhaust of said engine, and check valves in said suction and delivery pipes.

'5. The combination with a boiler feed pumpdriven by an engine and having suc-- tion and delivery pipes, of an ejector in the suction pipe connected with the exhaust pipe of said engine,a check valve in the suction pipe, and means f or relieving any excess of pressure in said suction pipe.

6. The combination with a boiler feed pump driven by an engine and having suction and delivery pipes, of anejector in the suction pipe connected with the exhaust pipe of said engine, a check valve in the suction pipe, and means for relieving any excess of pressure in said suction pipe comprising an overflow valve in the suction pipe.

7. The combination with a boiler feed pump driven by an engine and having suctiongand delivery pipes, of anejector in the suction pipe connected with the exhaust pipe of said engine, a check valve in the suction pipe, and means vfor relieving any excess of pressure in said suction pipe comprising. an overflow valve in the suction pipe, and a safety valve in the exhaust pipe.

8. The combination with a boiler feed pump driven by an engine and having suction and delivery pipes, of an ejector in the an overflow valve in the suction pipe, and a aalety valve in the exhaust pipe, said relieving valve being arranged to open in sue- \fUhSlUll.

5). The combination with a boiler feed pnnip driven by an engine, of suetion and deliver pipes for said pulnp. an ejector in the snetion pipe. and an exhaust pipe for said-engine connected with said ejector and provided with aloop rising to a barometric height above the level of the Water supply.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set mv hand this fourth day of June, 1914.

WALTER KIESER.

Witnesses ERNST KELLER, Hmxrucu SCHLOTE. 

